Dream Within a Dream, Part 3

"Final Fantasy X & Mobius FF

If we should get separated, just whistle... Tidus has a meeting with destiny, and the Warrior of Light comes to know the power of the Aeons. ★Dream Within a Dream, Episode 3★"

- In-game description

Dream Within a Dream, Part 3 or Episode 3, is the third main story chapter for the Final Fantasy X Collaboration Event. It features Tidus and Yuna from Final Fantasy X traversing an unnamed island while teaching Wol the art of summoning Aeons.

Event Details

 * First appearance: September 14 - November 30, 2018
 * Second appearance: January 15 - March 30, 2020 end of service, June 2020
 * Event type: Collaboration story region.

How to Participate

 * Select "FFX Episode 3: Visions of Besaid" from the world map -- branched off of the Chapter 1: Blank Slate node.
 * You must complete Dream Within a Dream, Part 2 before this region becomes available.

Story
Continued from Dream Within a Dream, Part 2

Tidus walks ashore on an unnamed island, towards the visage of Yuna. He is shocked beyond words, but after some stammering they embrace. It's a while before Tidus can compose himself to ask the important question: is she supposed to be here? and is this Spira or Palamecia?

Wol is not far behind, and brings a bit of reality to the pair: be prepared for a world against them. But they're ready, even though there are no Aeons left... including Tidus. Wait, what? And with that, the truth is out. Tidus was summoned to Spira, like any of the Aeons, and the only way to end the cycle of death there was for all Aeons to be taken down... including Tidus. So when the Aeons apparently shifted to Palamecia, Tidus came with them. This gives Wol an idea. Maybe those Aeons could be summoned here! Yuna is unwilling to try, but happily transfers... something... to Wol, saying that he should now be able to summon them. This may take some learning, though.

Tidus and Yuna are in a bit of a bind, overall. They're both in a new, strange land. Tidus isn't so concerned about himself, but very much wants to help Yuna return to Spira... except both Wol and Echo are pessimistic about the idea that it's possible. The couple will need some time to cope with the new reality they seem to have.

The group seems to be in the right place for learning. Wol quickly runs into a training ground, with riddles and trials. At first they're fairly easy riddles, but as always they get more complex as he advances. Good thing, too, because it's a surprise when they run into their first Aeon: Yojimbo! The battle is not an easy one, but Wol comes out on top, taking Yojimbo down. It seems over until a cloud of Pyreflies revives Yojimbo, stronger than before! With a gentle push from Yuna, Wol concentrates and Summons Valefor! The rematch sees Valefor victorious, and Yojimbo disappears in a flurry of more Pyreflies.

Wol continues to train, and soon after he lands a second Aeon: Ifrit. This is looking good! Meanwhile, Tidus and Yuna make the decision to pursue the Warrior of Light title together. Wol sounds positive, but privately doubts they'll get anywhere. Palamecia is too harsh about that.

The next step for them is to see what the local Runic Crystal has to say. Strangely, it says the Warrior of Light needs to defeat something called a Gigaflan, which Echo confirms is part of The Prophecy.

The team find the Gigaflan's lair, and Tidus launches himself into the fight... only to be rebuffed by an impenetrable field around the flan. Once again, Wol steps up and cleans the flan out.

But this leaves a problem. Palamecia has definitively declared that Tidus cannot be the Warrior of Light. He's a heretic. Tidus is crushed. Why would he be here in Palamecia if that's not an option? If the team can't find an answer, Tidus and Yuna are surely doomed. But Yuna has an idea, and suggests they go back to the last place that they had such a crisis of confidence.

To be continued in Dream Within a Dream, Part 4.

Summoning
This region introduces a new gameplay style: the Summoning System. The Sub-deck that normally holds your second (backup) job is replaced by one of the Aeons from Final Fantasy X.
 * Once you gain your first Aeon, the red Aeons button will show up on the edge of the screen. Click this to see the stats for the Aeons you have, and to select which one will be summoned during battle.
 * Episode 3 comes with two initial Aeons: Valefor and Ifrit. Other Aeons will be introduced in later episodes.


 * During battle, the Job Change Recast button at the bottom of the screen is replaced with a Summon. Select and drag across the circle to bring in the Aeon, or to swap back to your normal Job.
 * Aeons come with a pre-set selection of abilities -- no equipping your own abilities, and Card Rentals are not available when the Aeon is in play.
 * Normally, the Job Change action becomes available after 2-4 rounds, depending on how many Job Change Recast buffs you have. Aeons are always available after the first round of battle has completed, regardless of Recast buffs. As you go to further skirmishes within the same battle, your character will switch back to your main deck, but this can be immediately switched to the Aeon sub-deck (at the expense of 1 action, of course).
 * The Aeon auto-ability No Summoning Recast drops this delay to zero -- bring in your Aeon at any time!


 * If an Aeon drops to zero health, you will be forcibly returned to your Main Deck, rather than losing the battle. This means that an Aeon can sacrifice itself to take one mega-attack from a powerful enemy per area. You can't use that Aeon again during that battle, but (like you) it returns to full health on the next area, or (if you also get killed) it will revive with your use of a Phoenix Down.
 * Aeons will increase their strength depending on your Deck Level, so equipping high-level cards on your main deck will get you strong Aeons.
 * Aeons also get their own Aeon Sphere Grid to increase their abilities and offer new Auto-Abilities. Use s and s there.

Screen controls
Four controls appear as your abilities grow: Go to the Sphere Grid or Aeon Sphere Grid through this control.

This shows the list of Spheres you've collected, that have not been activated yet.

Shows you the effects of everything you currently have activated. Use the icons on the top bar to switch between your character enhancements and the Aeon enhancements, or filter between different enhancement types.

Lists the Aeons you have available, and shows their total attributes.

Event Map
"'''FFX: Dream Within a Dream Episode 3: Visions of Besaid Tidus finds himself washed up on a sunny shore reminiscent of Besaid. A reunion with the one he has been longing to see has come to pass -- but is it real, or just another dream?"

- World Map description

As you traverse the region, you'll receive Spheres as a reward, which you can use in the Sphere Grid and Aeon Sphere Grid to enhance stats and add extra Auto-Abilities. The fiends will get stronger to compensate for that, so be prepared for some heavy fighting!

There are 80 areas in total, with 37 treasure chests.

Post-completion
Once the Teleport Stone area has been cleared, the Forbidden Outpost area changes to Golden Flan Battlegrounds Redux. The same rules continue here, with the appearance of Golden Flans offering drops of random Skillseeds x3000, but are now joined by Cactuars and Crystal Gigantuars. This area does not appear to drop any ability cards after the change.

Key Items
These items are gathered to unlock spaces on the Sphere Grid and Aeon Sphere Grid.

These items unlock paths in Besaid.

Aeons

 * Yojimbo (Aeon) shows up as an adversary, but cannot be summoned.
 * Aeon Valefor.png Valefor (Aeon) is gained as an ally early in the region.
 * Aeon Ifrit.png Ifrit (Aeon) is gained as an ally in the later parts of the region.

Special Fiends

 * Fire Flan
 * Water Flan
 * Wind Flan
 * Earth Flan
 * White Flan
 * Black Flan
 * Vidatu / Aerouge
 * Shantak / Garuda


 * Crystal Gigantuar
 * Golden Flan
 * Gigaflan

Reference

 * Mobius News page
 * BuffMeister's compiled cutscene movie on YouTube

Trivia

 * Music is from Final Fantasy X Remaster soundtrack: